Set during a violent conflict in a lusciously detailed alternate reality, Akai Katana is the latest western release from the respected Japanese arcade games maker Cave.

What makes this particularly special is the scoring system, which gives an apparently simple, exhilarating 2D shooter real depth. To master Akai Katana you have to learn the nuances of various weapons and techniques, which makes for a really rewarding experience. Its various modes can still be enjoyed in the most basic way – dodging dense clouds of bullets and shooting enemies – but to truly experience the intensity the game can deliver you need to grasp its many intricacies. Fortunately, it comes with some well-considered guides.

Akai Katana is not easy, but that is perhaps the point. It sets out to be a proper, teasing challenge for gamers who have grown used to hand-holding blockbuster action releases, and it does a superb job.